Chef Moves and New Menus at Coi, Huxley, Gaspar, and Farallon

It’s a new year, which brings a lot of chef shuffles and moves and new menus. Let’s review.

Over at ~COI~, Daniel Patterson has transitioned out of the kitchen. Executive chef Matthew Kirkley (L20 in Chicago) is in place, and his new menu has debuted. You’ll note a seafood-leaning menu, with dishes like geoduck clam, lardo, Bibb lettuce, buckwheat; turbot, winter vegetables, beurre Cancalaise; and abalone, bone marrow, black truffle. Nope, the tasting menu doesn’t finish with beef! The new menu price is $225 (plus a 20 percent service charge). Dinner is served Thu-Mon.

We previously noted that chef Sara Hauman has left ~HUXLEY~, and taking her place is Manfred Wrembel (most recently at Schroeder’s, and previously Plum and Incanto). His new menu is up, with many local and seasonal dishes, including wild arugula, chicken liver ravioli, Half Moon Bay herring, and a burger, the Hux Deluxe. There’s also a small tap system, with beers on draft, and look for new bottles on the reserve beer list and new affordable wine selections as well. Open for dinner service Tue-Sat 5:30pm-10pm and brunch Sat-Sun 11am-2:30pm.

At ~GASPAR BRASSERIE~, executive chef Chris Jones has transitioned to overseeing all of owner Franck LeClerc’s Au Bon Repas properties (Gaspar Brasserie, Gitane, and Café Claude); taking his place in the kitchen is Adam Nichol, who has been working as chef de cuisine at Gaspar. He did whole animal butchery and charcuterie while at Central Kitchen and Flour + Water and will be doing some more for the charcuterie program at Gaspar. The menu has morphed into an all-day format, take a look here.

And over at ~FARALLON~, Jason Ryczek is working for chef-owner Mark Franz as the new executive chef—the two collaborated on the upcoming chef’s tasting menu for Valentine’s Day. Ryczek was at Waterbar for the past three years.